England has been set a 271-run target for victory in the second ODI against Australia at Headingley.
Australia’s winning streak is in jeopardy after the reigning World Cup champions were bowled out for 270 in 44.4 overs on Saturday.
MATCH CENTRE: England vs Australia second ODI, live scoreboard, stats
The tourists shot themselves in the foot with reckless dismissals, losing wickets at regular intervals despite maintaining a healthy scoring rate.
However, a 49-run partnership between wicketkeeper Alex Carey and tailender Josh Hazlewood steered the Australians towards a defendable total in Leeds.
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Australian openers Matthew Short and Travis Head combined for a 46-run partnership after England captain Harry Brook won the toss and chose to bowl first in overcast conditions.
Head, fresh off a century in Thursday’s series opener, looked in ominous touch before hooking a short ball from Brydon Carse directly towards deep fine leg for 29. Short cracked three consecutive boundaries against quick Ollie Stone before edging a wobble-seam delivery from Matthew Potts through to gloveman Jamie Smith, departing in the 12th over for 29.
In his following over, Potts produced an absolute peach to knock over Steve Smith for 4, bowled through the gate after attempting an extravagant straight drive.
Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the ship by combining for a 56-run partnership, with the Australian skipper bringing up his half-century in 47 deliveries after nailing a pull shot for six. The right-hander rubbed salt into the wounds by smacking Carse’s following delivery over the mid-wicket boundary for another maximum.
However, England spinners Jacob Bethell and Adil Rashid ripped through the middle order in a minor collapse of 3-16, leaving the tourists in a spot of both at 6-161 in the 28th over.
Following the soft dismissal of Labuschagne, an awkward jack towards mid-on for 19, Marsh was trapped plumb LBW for 60 after missing a sweep shot, both dismissed by young gun Bethell.
Glenn Maxwell clobbered his first delivery for six but became Rashid’s 200th ODI victim the following over after attempting to replicate the feat, caught at cow corner for 7.
Carey and all-rounder Aaron Hardie formed a counterattacking 55-run partnership for the seventh wicket before Carse returned to the attack in the 36th over, removing Hardie and Mitchell Starc in consecutive deliveries. Hardie was beaten for pace, top-edging a bouncer towards mid-wicket for 23 before Starc chipped towards square leg for a golden duck.
However, Carey frustrated England by farming the strike from Hazlewood, cracking a counterattacking 74 (67) that included three sixes.
Having missed the series opener due to illness, star trio Hazlewood, Starc and Maxwell returned to Australia’s starting XI for the Leeds ODI. Meanwhile, England speedster Jofra Archer was rested due to workload management.
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